West Coast's First All-English Quarter Horse Show Delivers Big Results at Paso Robles Horse Park

Event: Paso Park Rose in May - AQHA All English Show | May 23, 2026
Location: Paso Robles Horse Park, 3801 Hughes Parkway, Paso Robles, CA 93446
Platform: Horse Spot
Organizer: Paso Robles Horse Park
Show Secretary (AQHA): Jessica Lawrence
Hunter Jumper Show Manager: Amanda Diefenderfer

What Happened at Paso Robles Horse Park in May 2026?

The Paso Park All-English AQHA show made history on May 23, 2026, as the first All English Quarter Horse show on the West Coast. Held at the Paso Robles Horse Park in Paso Robles, California, the event drew competitors from across the region and delivered on a promise that has been a long time coming for western horsemen who ride English.

The show ran simultaneously alongside Amanda Diefenderfer's Rose in May Hunter Jumper Pathway Show, which ran May 21 through 24, creating a multi-discipline weekend that drew a wide cross-section of the equestrian community to the park.

Horse Spot, the equestrian competition management platform, powered the show's results, scheduling, and entry management.

Key Results and Impact

Class Sizes Exceeded Expectations

Classes across the All English divisions drew 3 to 5 horses each, a strong showing for a first-year event in a region that has historically lacked AQHA English competition opportunities. The New English Versatility class drew over 5 entries, signaling genuine demand for this discipline on the West Coast.

A World Championship Qualifier - 15 Years in the Making

One of the most meaningful outcomes of the show came from an exhibitor who finally qualified for the AQHA World Championship after 15 years of trying. Madison Nirenstein shared the story on social media, noting that new shows like this one are what make qualification possible for West Coast riders in a region that has long lacked AQHA English competition. Without events like this closer to home, that milestone may have remained out of reach.

Significant Prize Money

The show offered large checks across divisions, reflecting the organizers' commitment to attracting quality competition and rewarding exhibitors who made the trip west.

Why This Show Matters for Western Equestrians

The All English Quarter Horse discipline sits at an interesting intersection: horses and riders bred and trained in the Quarter Horse tradition, competing in English disciplines like hunt seat equitation, English pleasure, and hunter under saddle. For decades, these classes have been a staple of AQHA shows in the Midwest and South. The West Coast has remained largely without a dedicated venue and event structure for this niche.

The Paso Park Rose in May show changes that. By establishing a recurring event at Paso Robles Horse Park, organizers have created a pathway for West Coast exhibitors to accumulate AQHA points and qualify for national championship events without cross-country travel.

How Horse Spot Supported the Event

The show was managed through Horse Spot, a competition management platform built for equestrian events. Horse Spot handled class scheduling, live results, the master list, and exhibitor entry management for both the AQHA show and the concurrent Hunter Jumper Pathway Show.

Jessica Lawrence, the AQHA Show Organizer, shared her experience using the platform:

"For myself, I found Horse Spot to be very user-friendly. I think for AQHA/APHA based breed shows the biggest part missing is information needed for verifications. The associations like AQHA have thousands of rules we have to follow specific to the classes, horses, exhibitors, and owners. I think once you tackle that part it will be great." - Jessica Lawrence, AQHA Show Organizer

Lawrence's feedback highlights one of the nuanced challenges of serving breed association shows: AQHA and APHA shows require real-time verification of memberships, horse registrations, and owner/exhibitor eligibility against each organization's rulebook. These requirements go well beyond what is needed for open or pathway shows.

Horse Spot and AQHA Member Verification

Horse Spot already integrates with USEF, USHJA, AHA, and USDF for membership verification, allowing shows governed by those organizations to validate entries against live association data at the time of entry.

Serving AQHA and APHA breed shows at that same level is a priority for Horse Spot. Michael Lenard of Horse Spot attended the AQHA Annual Convention in Las Vegas, where he participated in the AQHA Smart Strategies for Show Management workshop, an in-person educational program designed for show secretaries, managers, and officials to sharpen operations and deepen their knowledge of AQHA policies.

That commitment runs deeper than a single workshop. Erin Webb, Horse Spot's Account Executive, has been part of the AQHA community since she was nine years old. She has competed at the AQHYA Youth World Show, the All American Quarter Horse Congress, and the Level 1 Championships East, served as President of the Empire State Quarter Horse Youth Association, and worked both sides of the rail as a ring steward and show secretary at AQHA events. When Horse Spot says it is committed to understanding the breed show community, Erin is a large part of why that is true.

As Jessica Lawrence noted, verification is the piece that will make Horse Spot truly complete for breed shows, and it is a gap Horse Spot is actively working to close.

About the Paso Robles Horse Park

The Paso Robles Horse Park is located at 3801 Hughes Parkway in Paso Robles, California. The facility hosts a wide range of equestrian disciplines and events throughout the year, serving the Central Coast equestrian community and attracting competitors from across California and the Western United States.

Follow the Paso Robles Horse Park on Instagram: @pasorobleshorsepark

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an All-English Quarter Horse Show? An All English Quarter Horse Show is an AQHA-sanctioned event where Quarter Horses compete exclusively in English disciplines, including hunt seat equitation, English pleasure, hunter under saddle, and versatility classes. These events are distinct from all-around or western-focused Quarter Horse shows.

Was this the first All-English Quarter Horse show on the West Coast? Yes. The Paso Park Rose in May AQHA show held on May 23, 2026, at Paso Robles Horse Park is recognized as the first All-English Quarter Horse show on the West Coast.

Can West Coast riders qualify for the AQHA World Championship at this show? Yes. AQHA points and qualifications earned at sanctioned shows like this one count toward World Championship eligibility, regardless of geography. The availability of a local qualifying show is what made 2026 the year one exhibitor finally achieved a qualification they had been pursuing for 15 years.

What platform was used to manage the show? The show was managed using Horse Spot, an equestrian competition management platform. Results, the show schedule, and the master list were all available through Horse Spot's platform.

Does Horse Spot integrate with AQHA for member verification? Horse Spot currently integrates with USEF, USHJA, AHA, and USDF for membership verification. Serving AQHA and APHA breed shows at that same level is a priority for Horse Spot. The team includes Erin Webb, an Account Executive who has competed at the AQHYA Youth World Show and the All American Quarter Horse Congress, served as President of the Empire State Quarter Horse Youth Association, and worked as a ring steward and show secretary at AQHA events. That depth of firsthand experience shapes how Horse Spot approaches the breed show community and the work it is doing to serve it better.

Hero Photo Credit: @Paso Robles Horse Park on Facebook | Alden Coorigan Media

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